Fish lures and methods for making fish lures and luring fish

ABSTRACT

Soft bait lures emulating a fish are provided. The lure can provide at least one channel within at least one of the exterior surfaces of the tail. Methods for manufacturing a soft bait fishing lure are also provided. The methods can include removing one or more portions of one or more exterior surfaces of the tail to define one or more channels within the one or more surfaces of the tail. Methods for luring fish using a soft bait fishing lure are also provided. The methods can include channeling at least some of the water through one or more channels within the surface of the tail of the fishing lure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/733,467 filed Sep. 19, 2018, entitled“Fish Lures and Methods of Making Fish Lures”, the entirety of which isincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to fishing lures and more specificallyarticulated fishing lures, manufacturing methods, and uses.

BACKGROUND

Fishing lures have become increasingly important in game fishing as wellas industrial fishing. Current lures can be powered and/or articulatedto simulate bait fish. This simulation can include weighting the lureproperly and/or articulating the lure in certain portions to allow forthe lure to simulate bait fish upon a dragging motion and/or sinkingmotion. The present disclosure provides fishing lures and fishing lureproduction methods and uses.

SUMMARY

Soft bait lures emulating a fish are provided. The lures can include afish emulating body extending from a head to a tail. The tail candefine: an end upper point substantially aligned with a dorsal line ofthe body; an end lower point substantially aligned with a pelvic line ofthe body; and opposing end mid points substantially aligned with laterallines of the body, each of these end points extending along individualupper, lower, and midpoint surfaces of the tail to terminate at a caudalpeduncle of the lure. The lure can provide at least one channel withinat least one of the exterior surfaces of the tail.

Methods for manufacturing a soft bait fishing lure are also provided.The methods can include: providing a soft bait fishing lure having atail; and removing one or more portions of one or more exterior surfacesof the tail to define one or more channels within the one or moresurfaces of the tail.

Methods for luring fish using a soft bait fishing lure are alsoprovided. The methods can include, while providing a flow of water fromhead to tail of a fishing lure, channeling at least some of the waterthrough one or more channels within the surface of the tail of thefishing lure.

DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to thefollowing accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a depiction of two fish lures and a fish lure insert accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a fish lure insert according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a portion of a fish lure tail according to an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of a fish lure tail according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a depiction of fluid flow about the tail of FIG. 4, accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a fish lure according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

This disclosure is submitted in furtherance of the constitutionalpurposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science anduseful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

The fish lures and methods of making fish lures according to embodimentsof this disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-6.Turning first to FIG. 1, a series of fish lures is shown and representedas fish lure 10, fish lure 12, and fish lure insert 14. As can be seen,the fish lures have a belly or pelvic side 9, a dorsal side 15, alateral line 8, as well as a head 2 and a tail. In accordance withexample implementations, fish lure 10 can include tail 11, and fish lure12 can include tail 13. In accordance with example implementations,specific constructs of the tail can substantially align with specificconstructs of the lure body.

Referring next to FIG. 2, a fish lure insert to be encased in a softfish lure body as shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2 as insert 14. Inaccordance with example implementations, insert 14 can include a hardcast plastic body that includes an eyelet 16 as well as a hook 18projecting from a dorsal side of fish lure 14. In accordance withexample implementations, the fish lure hard body 20 of insert 14 caninclude a bulbous end 22 as well as receding to a less indented end 24.Less indented end 24 can extend in a substantially planar manner or flatmanner 26 to a forward portion of body 20. Associated with forwardportion body 20 can be a hole or eyelet 28, as well as an indented ornon-normal portion 30 extending to eyelet 16.

In accordance with example implementations and with reference to FIGS. 3and 4, fish lures 10 and 12 can include tail portions 11 or 13. Fishlures 10 and 12 can be considered soft bait fish lures as they areprimarily constructed of a polymeric material such as polyvinyl chloride(PVC) and oil-based resin. Typically, these lures are provided bycasting the PVC and resin. The tail of the lure can be defined byspecific constructs that relate to other constructs of the body of thelure. For example: an end upper point 60 of the tail can besubstantially aligned with dorsal side 15; an end lower point 62 of thetail can be substantially aligned with pelvic side 9; and opposing endmidpoints 64 can be substantially aligned with lateral line 8. Each ofend points 60, 62, and 64 can extend along individual upper 66, lower68, and midpoint surfaces 70 of the tail to terminate at caudal peduncle72.

In accordance with example implementations, tail portions 11 or 13 caninclude one or more recesses for channels 30 or 32 defined within one ormore of the exterior surfaces of the tail. One or more channels 30 canbe defined within surface 66 between end midpoint 64 and end upper point60; and/or within surface 68 between end midpoint 64 and end lower point62. Each of these channels may extend through an end surface 76 and/or78. Additionally, one or more recesses or channels 32 can be definedwithin surface 70 between end midpoint 64 and caudal peduncle 72. Inaccordance with example implementations, a channel 32 can terminateprior to end surface 80 of the tail.

In accordance with example implementations, the tail can define opposingrecesses or channels with each of the recesses or channels being withinthe surface between the end upper point and the end midpoint and/orbetween the end lower point and the end midpoint. Opposing recesses orchannels can be within the surface between the end midpoint and thecaudal peduncle. Additionally, the tail can define opposing lateralsurfaces 82 and 84. Accordingly, each of these lateral surfaces caninclude individual upper 66, lower 68, and midpoint 70 surfaces.Individual channels and/or recesses can be defined within one or more ofthese lateral surfaces. According to another implementation, opposingsurfaces can also include opposing channels or recesses.

Referring to FIG. 4, a cross section of the tail portion 11/13 is shownwherein demonstrating non-planar edges of the tail portion 11/13 whencross sectioning through recesses 30 and 32. In accordance with exampleimplementations, the channels or recesses can be created within providedlures by removing portions of the tail of the lure. For example,portions of the tail can be carved away to reveal the recesses and/orchannels of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, detailed side and end views of a tail is depictedwith water directional arrows. As can be seen the water supporting thelure can proceed through upper and lower channels relatively unimpededwhile the middle channel is blocked providing resistance to fluid flow.Accordingly, while providing water flow 90 from head to tail across thelure, for example, via trolling, water flow 92, 94, and/or 96 can flowalong defined paths and as a result direct a desired motion of the tail.Accordingly, channels 92 and 94 can direct flow through the end of thetail. This, according to example implementations, can stabilize theupper and lower portions of the tail, preventing twisting of the tail.Also, recess or channel 32 can direct flow 92 to a terminus thus usingthe force of flow 92 to move the midpoint of the tail from side to side,emulating a swimming fish.

Referring next to FIG. 6, and in accordance with another implementationof the present disclosure, a fish lure 50 is provided that includes aneyelet 52 connected to a hook 54. Hook 54 can be embedded within thesoft body of the lure and extend to a tip of hook or barbed end 56. Inaccordance with example implementations, this hook is shown on theexterior of the lure; however, in working implementations, the hook willbe in the interior of the lure with a portion or none of the hookextending through the soft pliable material of the lure.

In compliance with the statute, embodiments of the invention have beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural andmethodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the entireinvention is not limited to the specific features and/or embodimentsshown and/or described, since the disclosed embodiments comprise formsof putting the invention into effect.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A soft bait lure emulating a fish, the lurecomprising: a fish emulating body extending from a head to a tail, thetail defining: an end upper point substantially aligned with a dorsalline of the body; an end lower point substantially aligned with a pelvicline of the body; and opposing end mid points substantially aligned withlateral lines of the body, each of these end points extending alongindividual upper, lower, and midpoint surfaces of the tail to terminateat a caudal peduncle of the lure, wherein at least one of the exteriorsurfaces of the tail defines a channel within the surface between atleast one end midpoint and the end upper point, wherein the channelextends through an end surface of the tail.
 2. The soft bait lure ofclaim 1 wherein the tail defines another channel within the surfacebetween at least one of the end midpoints and the caudal peduncle. 3.The soft bait lure of claim 2 wherein the other channel terminates priorto an end surface of the tail.
 4. A soft bait lure emulating a fish, thelure comprising: a fish emulating body extending from a head to a tail,the tail defining: an end upper point substantially aligned with adorsal line of the body; an end lower point substantially aligned with apelvic line of the body; and opposing end mid points substantiallyaligned with lateral lines of the body, each of these end pointsextending along individual upper, lower, and midpoint surfaces of thetail to terminate at a caudal peduncle of the lure, wherein at least oneof the exterior surfaces of the tail defines a channel within thesurface between at least one end midpoint and the end lower point,wherein the channel extends through an end surface of the tail.
 5. Thesoft bait lure of claim 1 wherein the tail defines opposing channels,each of the opposing channels being the channel within the surfacebetween at least one end midpoint and the end upper point.
 6. The softbait lure of claim 1 wherein the tail defines opposing channels, each ofthe opposing channels being another channel within the surface betweenat least one of the end midpoints and the caudal peduncle.
 7. The softbait lure of claim 4 wherein the tail defines opposing channels, each ofthe opposing channels being the channel within the surface between atleast one end midpoint and the end lower point.